Water-gate.



No. 797,581. PATENTBD AUG. 22, 1905. H. A. GKE.

WATER GATE.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.1B,1905.

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No. 797,581. PATENTED AUG. 22, 1905. H. A. IGKB.

WATER GATE.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.1B,1905,

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HENRY ARTHUR ICKE, OF PIEIERMARITZBURG, NATAL.

WATER-GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1905.

Application filed February 18,1905. Serial No. 246.311.

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Be it known t'hat lf, lfluNaY ARTHUR Icke, a su bjeet of the King of (treat Britain and .lrc-

land, residing at Pietermaritzburg, Natal,A

have invented new and useful Improvements in VVater-(iates, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide aifiparatus for passing' water at will through a dam or other barrier, apparatus that can be easily operated under a head of pressure, and while being used for the purpose of holding back water the individual parts can in turn either be lifted out of or shut otl from the water for the purposes of inspection, adjustment, or repairs.

This invention consists, essentially, of three parts. The irst part is a curved gate adapted to move about a horizontal axis ora `flat gate adapted to move on rollers. This gate is capable of being operated under hig'h pressure, but is not necessarily water-tight. lt is referred to hereinafter as the pressure-gate. The second part is a flat sliding gate adapted to form a water-tight joint with the perimeter of the aperture which it is intended to close. it is hereinafter referred to as the watertight gate. The third part is a flap or sliding valve lixed in and carried by the watertight gate. lt is hereinafter referred to as the valve ln the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure l is a sectional elevation of the apparatus and shows the lifting-gear, tackle, and balance-weights. Fig. 2 is a plan of the lifting-gear in outline. Fig. B is a section through a dam.

The same letters refer to the same parts in each of the figures.

The pressure-gate consists of a device in the form of a segment of a circle A of about sixty degrees angular length and is mounted on an arm A2, adapted to turn on an axle A3, iixed in the culvert Afl, which the gate is intended to close. The gate is operated by lifting-gear at the top of the dam by means of a rope or chain A5 passing down through the well A. The sides of the culvert Al in the path of the edges of the segmental gate A are lined with metal plates A7 with raised faces. The edges of the segmentalgate A and the raised faces of the lining-plates A7 are planed and made a sliding tit. Qther metal plates As and A9 are also fixed in the bottom and top of the culvert to form a joint its own weight.

' with the bottom and top of the gate when closed. A wedge-shaped piece Am, with aropeway through its center, is attached to the top of the gate and forming joint with the plate at the top of the culvert. As it is not intended to make this part of the apparatus absolutely water-tight, stanehion-bars are not required. The bearings A1l of the arm Aa and the axle A are made of suitable metal to avoid corrosion and reduce friction. A recess is formed in the culvert A'l forward of and above the axle A'Li for the reception of the gate when raised and open. The-gate is shown in dotted lines in this position. The rope A5 for raising the gate is preferably placed on the upstream face of the gate and, is attached to the segmental plate A'. near its bottom edge.

vThe gate may be raised by hand-power, combined with balance-weights, and falls of I n the case of high dams and where it is desired to open the gate to its full height while the velocity of discharge is great, the moment due to current, when the gate is full open and the moment of its weight is small, may be overcome by balance-weights A13, attached to ropes passing over pulleys A1`l and having' attaching devices, such as hooks A12, attached to their` other ends engaging with the top edge of the segmental plate near the upper end of its stroke. The travel of the balance-weights and the position of the hooks when disengaged must be regulated by a catch attached to the ropes. The fall of the gate from the top end ot' its stroke may also be insured by placing the position of the axle A3 higher in the culvert A, so that the moment due to current may be balanced by the moment of the gate in this part of its stroke. lf the length of the arm at which the power is applied by the central rope A5 be considerable compared with the radius of the axle, the gate can be easily operated under a big head of water. The function of the pressure-gate in my apparatus may also be fullilled by a flat gate adapted to move on rollers and need not necessarily be water-tight.

The water-tight gate B consists of a flat sliding gate with machined bearings B2 of suitable metal adapted to slide on and make water-tight joint with a metal frame B, lixed in the inlet to the culvert A4. It is operated by gear placed at the top of the dam by means of a rope or chain or other device B'l passing' down the upstream face of the dam. 1t is raisedyby the rope or other device and falls of its own weight. It is not intended to be operated under full pressure.

The valve consists of a Hap or sliding valve or device C, adapted to close and make watertight joint with a pipe or orifice C2. The pipe is fixed in the water-tight gate and when open forms an opening t'hrough it. It is operated, preferably, by the same rope Bi and gear as the water-tight'gate. being opened by power applied through the rope and closes by its own weight. It is intended to be operated under full pressure.

The apparatus being closed, the parts are opened in the following order and manner:

First. Raise the valve C to the position shown by the dotted lines by hauling in the operating-rope B4. This admits water through the pipe or orifice C2 to the portion of the culvert A* between the water-tight and pressure gates, which diminishes the virtual head on the water-tight gate in proportion to the square of the capacity of discharge of the pipe or orifice C2 to the square of the capacity of leakage around the pressure-gate. Secondly. Raise the water-tight gate by continuing to haul in the operatingrope B4'. Thirdly. Raise the pressure-gate by hauling in its operating-rope A". The apparatus is closed by paying out the ropes in the reverse order, the valve and the gates falling by their own weight.

The pressure-gate can be shut ofi' from the water or the water-tight gate and valve raised to the surface of the reservoir at any time for inspection, adjustment, or repairs.

The apparatus is constructed and fixed in the dam in such a manner as to allow of any part being replaced without disturbing the masonry.

In earth dams and in some masonry dams the pressure-gate can be conveniently placed at the outlet of the culvert, and at intake-weirs of canals both the water-tightand pressure gates can be placed in the open channel.

' 1 do not wish to limit myself to the curvilinear form of pressure-gate, as other forms of pressure-gates may be used in combination with the water-tight gate and valve described in this specification.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent. is-

1. A water-tight apparatus consisting' of a movable water-tight gate on the upstream side in combination with a movable pressure-gate capable of movement under the full head of water on the downstream side of the watertight gate means for operating the said gate and means for admitting water to the space between the water-tight and pressure gates.

2. In a water-tight apparatus in combination a movable water-tight gate, a valve in said water-tight gate opening toward or on the upstream side of the said gate a movable pressure-gate capable of movement under the Jfull head of water on the downstream side of the water-tight gate arranged so that when in the closed position the hydrostatic pressure on the water-tight gate can be relieved to admit of it being opened, and means for operating the said gates.

3. In a water-tight apparatus in combination, a movable water-tight gate, a movable pressure-gate, a valve in the said water-tight gate, means for iirst operating the said valve and subsequently operating the water-tight gate and means for operating the pressuregate.

A. In a water-tight-gate apparatus in combination a movable water-tight gate a movable pressure-gate, means for admitting water to lequalize the pressure between the gates, means for operating' said gates and means for counteracting the moment on the pressure-gate due to the water passing' thereby when open.

5. In a water-tight gate, in combination, a movable water-tightgate, a movable pressure` gate, means for admitting water between the said gates, means for operating said gates counterbalancing means common to the said gates.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY ARTHUR ICKE.

lNitnesses:

THOMAS CLARK, ROBERT STANLEY HAYBOE. 

